The Prophesy: Choke to Breathe
by Lithoniel Sedai
Summary: Sequel- The Prophesy:Silent Shells. HP starts his 6th yr with a shocking new appearance. What is this strange new prophecy and is DM really loyal? O of P, visions, time travel and the final battle will feature this year.HP/BZ WIP
1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
On the night that ghouls awaken and play, the son of a stag and an ivory blossom will survive the jasper summons of death.  
  
For a decade his identity will be concealed from all but three tormentors of the uncultivated world.  
  
A half breed shall rescue him from a storm and his heritage shall become known.  
  
He will meet the lion in a room of rushing steel and with the she-cat they will defeat what lurks beneath the turban.  
  
He will hear voices that no other can hear and the blind will be deceived and believe him evil. Powers unconsciously transferred will be the defeater of the eyes of death. A book is the key.  
  
The unwilling canine, left by his friends and forsaken by the world, will meet the trio in the room of rushing steel and they shall all learn the truth from the condemned dog.  
  
The traitorous rodent shall be revealed and will bring about the return. More great and terrible than ever before.  
  
The fourth of three will leap from the cup of fire and will unwillingly give his blood to revive the bane of living things.  
  
The saviour will lie dormant for 28 days slain by the nightmare of guilt but will rise again by the hand of he who has devoured death. His companions, the Lion and the She-cat will battle the riddle with him.  
  
The dragon will forsake his family, be re-born as a phoenix of the light and will join them in battle.  
  
The lives of these for are sacred and their canine guardians will be forced to chose between their duty to them and revenge against the rodent Judas.  
  
These six will determine the fates of the world in battle against the will of death.  
  
When the battle is through the son of the stag and heir Gryffindor will seek solitude in the land of the uncultivated and the She-cat and Dog will join forces in order to save him.  
  
- Rowena Ravenclaw *************** 


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One  
  
Harry Potter-Granger awoke with a start, when the door to his new bedroom opened with a soft creak.  
  
Three silhouetted figures were standing in the doorway. Harry slowly reached for his glasses on the bed side table and reached under the pillow for his wand.  
  
Slowly, very slowly, he sat up as the three figures silently made their way to the foot of his bed. They appeared to be cloaked, and were of different heights.  
  
One tripped on a pile of clothing that Harry had left on the floor.  
  
'Shhhhhhh!'  
  
Pointing his wand at the trio, he reached up for his bed side lamp.  
  
'Petrificus Totalus!'  
  
Harry snapped on the light as his newly adopted sister, Hermione Granger, fell to the ground, dropping the parcels she was holding with a crash. Maree and Anthony Granger crouched down next to her in alarm, but sprang away as Harry performed the counter curse.  
  
He put his hands over his ears as a screaming tirade rent the air.  
  
'Harry Jamison Potter! What the hell do you think you were doing? Is cursing a person in the middle of the night normal behaviour for you? You know very well that you are under age and could get expelled. Do you even stop to consider the ramifications of what you are about to do? What if you had got it wrong because you were half asleep? I could be an elephant in the middle of Africa by now.'  
  
She was about to continue, but her father, wrapping his dressing gown tighter around his as he spoke, interrupted.  
  
'Sweet-heart, I don't think Harry meant to hurt you. It was just a reaction. He has been under a lot of pressure recently. There isn't any lasting damage is there? Now, since our surprise is ruined then why don't we all go back to bed and give these to him in the proper way in the morning.'  
  
Harry looked at the pile of parcels in confusion. 'What's all this?'  
  
'We were going to put your birthday presents at the foot of your bed for tomorrow. It was supposed to be a surprise, but you sleep to lightly.'  
  
Harry looked embarrassed. 'Sorry, Aunt Maree. Your dressing gowns looked like cloaks in the dark. I guess I'm kind of paranoid. I forgot that the wards have been put in place.'  
  
'That's fine, sweetie. We'll try to be quieter next time. Good night now. Sleep tight.'  
  
'Good night, sorry Hermione.'  
  
'Night Harry.'  
  
'Good night Harry, it's ok.'  
  
As Harry settled back down in his new bed, the incredulity of his situation struck him for the first time in the few weeks that he had been back from school.  
  
Just this time last year he was living with the Dursley's at number four Privet Drive. So much had happened since then.  
  
Vernon Dursley's firm had gone broke. Aunt Petunia had killed herself. Harry had killed himself and been brought back from the dead by Professor Snape. Harry and his friends had befriended Draco Malfoy. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco had joined the Order of the Phoenix. Harry had discovered that his father had had a younger sister who had been married to Professor Snape, but who, along with her baby son Sean, had been killed by Voldemort. Harry had disowned Professor Snape and has been legally adopted by Hermione's parents.  
  
Harry stared at the scars that covered his arms from elbow to wrist. He knew that if he rolled up his pyjama legs then he would see scars of a similar nature of his thigh.  
  
Although Harry hadn't been able to, and had no intention of, stop cutting himself, he had started cutting his legs, which was less of a danger to his life. His adoptive parents knew of his problem, and although they hadn't been able to convince him to see a counsellor, cared for him by providing him with antiseptic so his wounds wouldn't get infected, and periodically checked his wrists, to make sure he hadn't started cutting them again, and his legs to check that he wasn't cutting to deep.  
  
Harry respected and was grateful for their discretion. He knew that they knew, that they couldn't help him with his emotional scars that he had been accumulating since he was eighteen months, and although they didn't approve of his cutting, that it wasn't their place to jump in and interfere with his past. They asked as little as possible of his life, trusting that he would tell them when he was ready. They did their best to accept him into their lives and treat him as if he had been their his whole life, but at the same time, not trying to take the place of the two people who had laid down their lives for their son.  
  
Tomorrow was Harry's sixteenth birthday, and he would celebrate it, for the first time, in a home where people cared about him. Harry didn't care about presents or a party, although he wouldn't object if they were given to him, he would just be happy to be in a house where people actually acknowledged his presence and the fact that it was his birthday.  
  
Harry turned his light off with a click, and snuggled down, knowing that tomorrow would be one of the best days of his life.  
  
Harry awoke to the sun shining through his bedroom window. This was a miracle in itself. At the Dursley's Harry was either in a cupboard where there were no windows or in a room where the bars on the windows had been fitted so tightly together, that they barely allowed any sunlight into the room. Anyway, he would have been up since before dawn, doing his early morning chores.  
  
Harry stretched in his bed, before leaping up and running to the shower in his en suite bathroom. The Grangers were at the top of their profession, and they were extremely well off. They didn't flaunt it on expensive unnecessary items, but they did have many modern conveniences, one of these being each bedroom having en suite facilities.  
  
He turned the water pressure up slightly and enjoyed another forbidden luxury at the Dursley's: long, hot showers.  
  
Harry pulled on Dudley's old jeans and his Weasley jumper and went to the top of the stairs. Suddenly he stopped.  
  
How did one act on their birthday? Harry had never had his acknowledged so he didn't know what to do. Was there a special way of entering the room? How did he greet the Grangers? What did he say when they gave him presents? Was he supposed to hug them? What if they didn't give him any? What if he had dreamt the previous night and they didn't even know that today was his birthday? Should he tell them? Shouldn't he say anything? Should he drop a hint? What would he say if they got embarrassed at forgetting? What if.  
  
Harry's train of thought was broken when Hermione crept up behind and grabbed him by the shoulders. 'Fucking Merlin!'  
  
'Shhhhhh. You know my parents hate swearing. Why were you looking so scared? It's your birthday silly, you are supposed to be happy.'  
  
Harry went red and his eyes fell on his feet. 'I didn't know, if you would remember. I don't know how to act.'  
  
Pity crept into Hermione's eyes but Harry didn't see it. She gave him a hug.  
  
'Come on little brother, I'll show you what to do.'  
  
Harry looked at her gratefully, but the look died as Hermione continued wickedly.  
  
'First, we put our right foot in front of our left foot, then our left in front of our right, this is called walking, Harry. Now, we hold on to the stair rail and we move our back foot onto the stair in front of us by bending our knee and lowering our selves onto the stair. Now we repeat thaauggghhh.'  
  
Hermione screamed and tore down the stairs with Harry chasing furiously after her. They skidded to a halt in the kitchen as Hermione's father looked up from his paper and raised an eyebrow.  
  
'Harry needed coaching on how to walk down to a breakfast table.' Harry went red and kicked her.  
  
Anthony shook his head and returned to his paper.  
  
'You would think that turning sixteen would mean a rise in maturity levels, but apparently not in this family.'  
  
Harry went red at being included in 'family'. He awkwardly returned the hug that Maree gave him.  
  
'Happy Birthday, Harry.'  
  
'Thank-you Aunt Maree.'  
  
'Sit down Harry. It's our custom on birthdays to have a special breakfast, then presents.'  
  
Harry blushed again, but sat obediently. A plate of blueberry pancakes was placed in front of him. He ate them ravenously. Two plates later, he drained the last of his coffee and looked around at the three watching him.  
  
'Yum.'  
  
They looked at each other and then with a little shrug, as if to say 'boys will be boys' Maree got up to take his plate. Harry beat her to it, and had taken it to the sink before she was halfway around the table.  
  
'No, Harry. You children will go and brush your teeth before Harry can get any presents.'  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry, who grinned back.  
  
'Now!'  
  
The two took to their heels as six owls flew in the window, four bearing odd looking parcels and the other two with letters.  
  
When they returned downstairs the parcels had disappeared, but two letters were sitting at Harry's place at the table and one at Hermione's.  
  
Harry picked them up and glanced at the seals.  
  
'Hogwarts and the ministry. It must be about last night. I'll sent a letter of explanation back with the owl.'  
  
Hermione glanced up from her Hogwarts letter. 'We need to have chosen the subjects that we will be taking by this Friday. Harry, you had better hurry up, I've had mine chosen since halfway through last year.'  
  
Harry glared at her as Anthony looked at him.  
  
'Do you have a rough idea what subjects you will be taking?'  
  
Harry shook his head.  
  
'I've only got two picked out and we need a minimum of six.'  
  
Hermione looked as if she was about to say something, but Maree who was foreseeing an argument hurriedly changed the subject. She hadn't had to be around her newest member of the family very long to know that he and her daughter didn't see eye to eye on the subject of school.  
  
'How about we get Harry to open his presents.'  
  
Harry looked up eagerly. It tore Maree's heart to see the innocent excitement on his face. She had noticed, as soon as she had seen him, how old his eyes were and it filled her with grief to see them. The anger she felt at his relatives for having treated him so badly that on his sixteenth birthday he was behaving like a five year old was boundless.  
  
She led the way into the sitting room, where there was an odd assortment of strangely wrapped parcels sitting on the floor.  
  
Harry hovered awkwardly to the side of the room as the other three plonked themselves down on the lounge.  
  
'Come on, Harry. Don't be shy. Come and unwrap them.'  
  
Harry sat down awkwardly, but his eyes lit up as bright as the gaudy wrapping paper as he grabbed the closest gift to him.  
  
He read the card, that bore the Weasley Twins hand and carefully began to unwrap it.  
  
After showing the card to Hermione, she stood and beckoned her parents over into the corner.  
  
'The Weasley twins play a lot of practical jokes. We don't know what's in the gift.' Maree and Anthony said nothing, but exchanged a worried glance. When the gift was unwrapped and it appeared that nothing was going to explode, Hermione came back over to see what Harry had received.  
  
It appeared to be a box of sweets, but Hermione knew better. Harry threw the order list to her.  
  
'It's there whole new range. There are fifty new sweets and six new trick wands.'  
  
'What does it mean, 'thanks for becoming our silent partner we'll split profits one third with you'?'  
  
'Oh, well no one is supposed to know, but I gave them my tri-wizard winnings and they're setting up shop with it.'  
  
Hermione stared at him for a moment. 'I assume the rest of the Weasleys don't know.'  
  
Harry looked at her unabashed. 'It's up to the twins if they tell, I'm not going to.'  
  
He reached for his next present which was the traditional rock cakes from Hagrid.  
  
Hermione shuddered and took them into the kitchen.  
  
The next present was from Hermione and Ron. A foe glass reflected Harry's reflection for a moment, before it was replaced with many shadowy figures. Harry shuddered at the amount of them, but put it down and looked at the large amount of sweets also in the box.  
  
Both children avoided the gaze of the two dentists in their midst.  
  
The next present was from Sirius and Remus, a box which shuddered and rattled.  
  
Harry tore the wrapping from it and lifted the lid to reveal a tiny, bright green snake. The card attached told him that it was a harmless green snake, although it could be charmed to poison enemies.  
  
Harry eagerly lifted the snake out and hissed to it.  
  
^^Hello.^^  
  
The snake looked mildly surprised. ^^It is long since we have encountered a brother vernacular. Pray, brother, what is your name?^^  
  
^^Harry, what's yours?^^  
  
^^I have none as yet, I have been purchased for you, and so it is your task to name me.^^  
  
Harry thought for a moment.  
  
^^What about Lucifer?^^  
  
^^Is that not the name of the devil?^^  
  
^^Well, yes, but that's before he turned evil. That was his name when he was good.^^  
  
^^In that case, master, I would be happy to bear that name.^^  
  
^^Hey, cut out the master. I'm Harry. Plain and simple Harry.^^  
  
^^But, you are my master, master.^^  
  
Harry pushed his hair out of his eyes in frustration. The snake physically leaped into the air.  
  
^^If my eyes are not deceived, then you are Harry Potter.^^  
  
Harry sighed.  
  
'Even snakes know who I am.'  
  
Hermione looked up. 'This snake knows who you are?'  
  
Harry jumped. He had forgotten the others were in the room. Maree and Anthony had retreated to the corner and looked quite terrified.  
  
'Sorry, I wont speak parseltongue when you are around. I forgot it scares some people.'  
  
^^I cannot speak your language in front of these humans for a while. Until they understand, it will scare them. I'll talk later.^^  
  
The snake looked at the other three and nodded, an odd movement that made Maree squeak in astonishment, before slithering up his sleeve and settling around his neck.  
  
Harry smiled at the others.  
  
'Sorry about that.'  
  
Anthony looked shaken but he smiled back.  
  
'It's fine, Harry. It will take a while to get used to. Please don't do it in public though.'  
  
Harry grinned and turned back to his presents.  
  
There were two cards and one present left.  
  
Harry picked up the present.  
  
'There isn't a card. Is this from you?'  
  
He slid it out of the packaging. A picture of his parents, and a person who he recognised as his aunt holding a baby smiled up at him.  
  
Harry looked at it for a moment before pulling out a sheet of paper that contained a single word.  
  
Sorry.  
  
Harry stuffed both the photo and the paper back into the wrapping and called Hedwig.  
  
'Hey, girl. Could you take this to Snape's office for me?'  
  
She nodded her snowy head and he stroked it, before she picked up the parcel and flew out the window.  
  
With a false smile Harry turned back to the last card.  
  
He opened it and a check for five hundred pounds fluttered out. He stared in amazement before reading the card.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
As we have not know you very long, and wouldn't know what to get an average sixteen year old boy, much less a wizard we have decided that a check will have to suffice.  
  
We are aware that you have money of your own, please do not be offended. We are not trying to buy your love. We know that love can only be earned, but please know that we love you as we would a son.  
  
Please feel free to spend it on what ever you would like.  
  
Love Maree and Anthony  
  
Harry stared the card for a moment before flinging his arms around the couple who looked surprised, but not displeased.  
  
'Thank you.' 


	3. Interlude One

Interlude One  
  
As soon as I walked through the barrier and into the muggle world I knew I was completely fucked.  
  
Father and Mother stood at the barrier, the anger on their faces was so intense that they didn't pause to look condescendingly around at the muggles surrounding them.  
  
All the cover stories that I had been working out since the first meeting of the Order fled from my mind as I mentally cringed away from my father.  
  
Outwardly I showed no emotion. I swear a flicker of pride passed over his face as I stood steadfastly before him. It didn't matter didn't matter for that brief second that he believed I had betrayed him. The Malfoy pride took over and he knew that his years of training me to not show any emotion had finally paid off. That brief look on his face sickened me and I fought not to retch.  
  
'Mother.'  
  
'Draconis.'  
  
'Father.'  
  
'Boy.'  
  
Uh oh. That couldn't be good. If he was too mad to use my name then he would call me son. The absence of that term left me in no doubt as to his anger. As we turned to apparate I pulled my thoughts together and by the time we had appeared at Malfoy Manor, I knew what I doing.  
  
Mother gracefully left the room leaving father and I standing like adversaries at opposite sides of the enormous chamber. I know the punishment for speaking out of turn so I waited.  
  
After about five minutes of trying to meet his steady gaze without flinching he broke the stony silence.  
  
'A number of disturbing reports have reached me from different parts of Britain.'  
  
I raised my eyebrows.  
  
'As different as the parts of this country that these letters came from were, the information was identical.'  
  
Still I was silent.  
  
'These reports contained verifiable information that my son had struck up a friendship with one Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and their Mudblood companion. What do you have to say to this?.'  
  
'It is true.'  
  
I waited for the explosion, but none came. Lucius continued to stare murderously at me.  
  
'And, why may I ask? Why would my son, and heir to the Dark Lords throne strike up a friendship with the vanquisher of our aforesaid dark lord, a Mudblood friend who's family should by rights be in a muggle poorhouse and a Mudblood?'  
  
.  
  
'Answer me.'  
  
'Well, father. Ever since my first year you have asked me to strike up a friendship with the trio. And in their hour of need, when their hero was dead, I did. Now I have the ear of Dumbledore, the son of a ministry member who is Dumbledore's advocate in the ministry and the smartest student in the school under my thumb. I thought you would be pleased.'  
  
'Pray, why didn't my son, who does all these things as it would seem to please me, inform me of what he had done.'  
  
'I believed, sir, it would be too risky. The owl could be intercepted at any time. I believed you would be happier that you found out my true purpose later, instead of all the plans being ruined.'  
  
'And you were quite happy to go through with it even if you were risking a severe punishment for failing to inform me.'  
  
'Well, sir, you have taught me ever since I can remember to think before I act, and to have each plan carefully thought through, as a Slytherin and indeed a Malfoy should. I was acting purely on the skills that you have devoted the past few years of your life to teaching me. I do apologise, if I misused the skills you have trained me in.'  
  
'Enough.'  
  
I nearly smiled in relief, but caught myself in time. I could see his evident self-pride. It was too simple. How ironic that the master of deceit should be deceived by his fifteen year old son, by the methods that he taught him. Rule number one in a Malfoys life: find peoples weaknesses and exploit them. That is what I have done. I have taken my fathers egotistical pride and blinded him with it. He should be proud. I used it against him. Rule number two in a Malfoys life: never let your own weaknesses be exploited by others.  
  
Hmmmmmm, perhaps he should listen to his own lectures for a change. For a person who loves the sound of his own voice he doesn't seem listen to what he is saying.  
  
Well, it seems I will be safe for the holidays as long as I don't let anything slip. I am going to start looking into getting some money into a private account of my own. I refuse to live under my father for too much longer. I want to declare my support for Dumbledore openly and when I do, I shall be out on the streets. I need some money in case I am discovered more quickly than I anticipate. Hopefully my father will be in prison or dead by the time that happens and I will have inherited his millions, but I can't really see that happening. Rule number three in a Malfoys life: be prepared for any eventuality. 


	4. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
Harry looked excitedly at the streets of muggle London. Hermione stared at him, confused.  
  
'Tell, me again why we are here. Why didn't you just change the money into wizarding cash and spend it at Diagon Alley?'  
  
Harry sighed as he turned back to face her.  
  
'Because, I want to buy things from the muggle world. I don't want to go shopping in a place where everyone knows who I am and will keep a record of what I am buying and I have never been to London before, except once with Hagrid and that doesn't count.'  
  
'Do you want me to come with you or do you want to meet me at The Leaky Cauldron when you are finished?'  
  
'Can I meet you there? I would rather get this done by myself.'  
  
Hermione nodded and gave him a hug, before turning on her heel and walking towards some clothing shop that Harry shuddered at.  
  
He yelled after her. 'I'll see you at twelve.'  
  
She waved her hand without turning and Harry ran across the road to a small shop.  
  
***********************  
  
Hermione had had a very successful shopping trip. She had bought a new pair of jeans, some new robes, she had purchased all of hers and Harry's school equipment and was enjoying a butterbeer at a table in the corner of the Leaky Cauldron, by the fire, when she heard Harry's voice behind her.  
  
'So, what do you think?'  
  
She turned around and her mouth fell open. She mouthed, trying to make words come out, but failed. She squeezed her eyes shut and looked again. This time a faint squeaking came out. She reached across to the abandoned table next to her, and picking up an unfinished firewhisky she gulped in down in one. Finally when speech came she gasped out.  
  
'What will Professor Dumbledore say?'  
  
'He wont mind. He's an eccentric. He'll be cool with it.'  
  
'But, but have you looked in a mirror?'  
  
'Yes, I thought it looked good.'  
  
Hermione gazed up at her brother. The smallish boy with enormous clothes had disappeared. Instead she didn't recognise him. Only his barely visible scar and voice gave him away.  
  
Gone were his oversized hand-me-downs of Dudleys. Gone were the conservative clothes that the Grangers had given him. He was dressed in black denim jeans, a black shirt some sort, and a floor-length black leather jacket. A studded leather band was around his neck along with a silver chain with a silver and black pendant hung upon it. Lucifer was also curled around his neck.  
  
But it was Harry's face that showed the most difference. Gone were the glasses that made him look so geeky and in their place were contacts. His eyes were rimmed with black with accentuated their greenness. Three small hoops and three studs decorated his left ear, while four studs, one hoop and silver dangling snake decorated his right . His left eyebrow was pierced, the right side of his nose and a ring went through his bottom lip. His fingers were covered with numerous rings and as he took off his jacket, as the fire was getting to warm, his black shirt was revealed as a tight singlet and exposed a phoenix tattooed to his back. His hair, has tucked behind one ear and, though Hermione hadn't noticed it until now, it had reached chin length. It was still very messy and that added thickness, so he didn't look like Snape. Bags at his feet showed Hermione that he had made many more purchases while he had been in London.  
  
Hermione forced her eyes from his chiselled chest *he is your brother, he is your brother* back up t his face.  
  
'Mum and dad are going to kill you.'  
  
Harry looked distressed. 'Shit, I never thought of that. Don't you think they will like it?'  
  
Hermione looked him up and down. 'Don't hold your breath.' 


	5. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
Harry and Hermione had stayed overnight at the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione had tried to convince the Grangers to stay the night, but they had politely declined and spent the night at a muggle hotel.  
  
They hadn't as yet seen Harry and both children were dubious about the impending encounter. They were planning to meet for the last time in the Leaky Cauldron, before the Grangers went back home and Harry and Hermione met up with the Weasleys, before boarding the Hogwarts express the next morning.  
  
Hermione was sitting in the bar waiting for her parents. She sat, fidgeting with the napkins and coasters. The door swung open, admitting a cool breeze along with her parents, who still looked uncomfortable, even though they had been in the wizarding world many times before.  
  
She stood and walked over to them, dragging them to her table.  
  
Her mum noticed her discomfort and asked her with slight alarm 'What's wrong darling?'  
  
Her dad followed the question with one of his own. 'Where's Harry?'  
  
'Um, well mum and dad, Harry is upstairs waiting for me to come and tell him that he can come down.'  
  
Her mum looked puzzled 'Well, why is he waiting up there? Tell him to come down, I want to see what he was so eager to get in London yesterday.'  
  
Hermione started fidgeting again. 'Well, that's why I made him stay upstairs. You said he could buy anything he wanted with the money you gave him, but I don't think you meant this, and I'm here to give you some warning to soften the shock.'  
  
Her dad raised his eyebrows. 'What are you talking about sweetie?'  
  
'Harry has made some, erm, changes to his appearance.'  
  
'What kind of changes?'  
  
'Um.'  
  
Her dad started to look annoyed. 'Just bring him down here, it cant be all that bad, we wont overreact.'  
  
Hermione reluctantly rose from her seat and went to speak to Tom.  
  
She came back in a couple of minutes. 'Tom is going to ring for Harry, but first he is going to pour you a couple of drinks.'  
  
Tom appeared behind her just as she said this. 'Here, Mr and Mrs Granger, I think you are going to need this, on the house.'  
  
Hermione's mum smiled her thanks and took a small sip. She pulled a small face.  
  
'Euuurrggghhh, that's strong, is that what wizards usually dri-auuugghhh.'  
  
Her glass fell to the floor with a crash as she looked up at the slightly Gothic teen standing behind her husbands chair.  
  
'H- Harry? Is that you?'  
  
Anthony Granger, looking at his wifes shocked face turned slowly in his chair to look at him. Hermione hid her face in her hands.  
  
'Um, hi Aunt Maree, Uncle Anthony. Do you like my new look?'  
  
The silence that followed spoke for itself.  
  
'Aunt Maree? Uncle Anthony?'  
  
'Mum? Dad?'  
  
Her father blinked a couple of times. 'Harry Potter? What the hell are you playing at? What kind of.'  
  
What ever he was going to say was lost in the flurry of movement that followed this statement. The whole pub had heard his outburst. Tom and Hermione groaned collectively and looked at each other in concern.  
  
People were looking over at the table, and upon seeing Harry started whispering and muttering, some of them standing up for a better look. They started moving towards the table, each of them speculating as to why Harry had suddenly changed his appearance.  
  
Suddenly an old lady squeaked put 'he is getting ready to declare his open support for the Dark Lord.'  
  
An uproar followed that account and the crowd began to either stampede towards Harry or away from him, causing a few fights to break out. The Grangers stood in shock but Harry sat down on a chair, a small ironic smile playing about his lips.  
  
People were now screaming and running into the street, bringing more frightened citizens into the pub with them. Glasses smashed to the floor and chairs overturned. Tom hid his eyes from the scene.  
  
Suddenly a different yelling came from behind the growing rioters as a sea of red started to fill the pub. The entire Weasley family, who had heard the ruckus had come to see what was happening in the usually quite and respectable pub.  
  
The elder Weasley boys, hearing the accusations being thrown, started yelling and dragging people out of the pub. Mrs Weasley took Ginny upstairs and Mr Weasley, Ron and the twins began to make their way towards the middle of the room where most of the commotion seemed to be based.  
  
Suddenly the crowd froze and were silent and the Weasley clan gazed in surprise as a slightly familiar looking, black clad, excessively pierced, young teenage boy clambered onto a table and raised his hands for quiet. The mouths of the red-heads simultaneously fell open as a familiar voice filled the room.  
  
'Enough! What is the matter with you people? Can I not even dress differently without causing a riot? If one of you was to suddenly inherit some money and spend it on your appearance would the rest of the world jump to the conclusion that you were supporting Voldemort? Now I am going to ask you very kindly to mind your own business. I am going to ask you to not go out into Diagon Alley and gossip about how the Boy who Lived has changed his appearance. And if I hear one more word about how I am in league with Voldemort I will find out who started the rumour and I will sue them for every knut they own. It is none of your business how I chose to or not to dress. I am ashamed that people in the wizarding world would behave so rashly. Now that you have nearly completely trashed Toms pub, I am going to ask that you tidy it up, and between you split the damages, and I suggest that you tip him very handsomely or he may press charges against some of you for damaging his property. Please leave me and my family alone and do not even think about starting rumours about them. Thank you, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.'  
  
With that, Harry jumped off the table, picked up a chair that was lying at feet and walked through the silent crowd and up to his room, followed by the Grangers and Weasleys. 


	6. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
Harry flopped down on his bed and sighed. It had been a very long day. Although, he hadn't heard of to many rumours being spread about him, there were still a few circling wizarding London.  
  
After making his, very incoherent in his opinion, speech; he had had to explain to his new parents and the Weasleys why he had changed his appearance. The Weasleys, on the whole, had liked it. Mrs Weasley didn't approve, and Mr Weasley expressed no firm views, Harry suspected this was more a case of his trying to stay on Mrs Weasleys good side than his disapproval, Ginny had been rendered dumbstruck, Percy hadn't been there to see it and the rest of the clan loved it.  
  
Maree and Anthony had made it quite clear that they didn't like any of it, but that they were not going to stop him, as long as it didn't become any more extreme.  
  
Harry mocked them all. He didn't care what they thought. He didn't need their approval. As he thought back to the holidays, he realised that he had let his guard down. He had displayed real emotion. Emotion, that he knew could one day cost him the freedom of the world. Until Voldemort was defeated, he knew that his mask would have to go back up.  
  
Harry sighed, he was, in a word, buggered. He hadn't packed and he was to tired at the moment, which meant he would have to get up early and pack before it was time to leave for the Hogwarts Express.  
  
He took his contacts out and set them in a goblet of special magical solution that he had picked up in Diagon Alley, which prevented the contacts from expiring.  
  
Harry was looking forward to seeing Draco the next day, he had only had a couple of letters from him, and they were written as such, that Harry was sure his father had been censoring.  
  
Harry was worried about Draco. He knew that it was hard for him to turn his back on all his family and friends and he was afraid that it would all become to hard and Draco would take the easy way out, and join with Voldemort.  
  
Harry shook his head and told himself not to worry about anything until it happened. He banished all thoughts of Draco from his mind and looked at his list of classes that he had chosen at the last minute.  
  
Advanced DADA, Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Basic Astronomy and Advanced Potions.  
  
Harry shuddered as he looked at the last class on the list. He had tried to opt out of Potions all together, but it was a compulsory subject and Dumbledore wouldn't change the rules simply because he had some personal issues with the professor. Harry figured that if he was going to do it, and put himself through all the hassle then he may as well make it worth his while and take the Advanced branch, now as he looked at the curriculum, he groaned.  
  
Surely this was too much work for one year; and all with Snape. Perhaps if he kept his head down and worked, Snape would leave him alone. Maybe the threat of his true relationship with Harry being made public would keep him away.  
  
Harry picked up his robes and his wand. Now that he was a Senior, there was more flexibility in the dress code. Colours of the actual uniform were optional and Harry was planning on taking advantage of it. With a flick of his wand his uniform turned black.  
  
Harry reached over to the pile of clothes on the ground. He pulled out a pair of boxers to sleep in. As he lifted his arms to remove his singlet he caught sight of his arms. There were no recent scars. He missed cutting his arms. His leg provided the painful bliss that his body and mind craved, but he needed the daily reminder of why he was continuing. Every scar represented some form of problem that he had to make right with someone. He needed to repay the debt, that had been caused by each scar and the only way he could do that in his mind was to defeat Voldemort.  
  
He was jerked from his thoughts by screaming from the next room. It was Hermione and Ron again. Harry sighed. If this was the way they were going to behave all year then he would bugger off to some other part of the country. Wearily he rose from the bed to go and referee this new conflict between the two.  
  
When he got to Rons room, however, he met the two walking out with smiles on their faces.  
  
'Have you sorted it out?' Harry asked hopefully, he needed to get to bed, his scar was beginning to hurt and he rubbed it absentmindedly.  
  
For once Ron and Hermione didn't notice. 'We broke up.'  
  
Harry stopped and stared at them through drooping eyelids. 'Broke up? As in: not together? What's with the happy faces? I would expect to be up all night consoling both of you.'  
  
Ron shook his head, 'well, Harry mate, at first we figured that our fighting was due to a build up of sexual tension so we got together, but now we have figured out the real reason.'  
  
Harry was getting to tired to play games. 'Which is?'  
  
'We both piss the shit out of one another. Nothing to do with sexual tension. She simply is a know-it-all.'  
  
'and he simply is a daft prick.'  
  
Harry shook his head. 'Fuck you both. I've never heard of something so simple being turned into the soap opera that you have made it into. I'm going to bed.'  
  
As he shut the door to his bedroom he heard Ron saying bemusedly to Hermione 'what's a soap opera?'  
  
The next morning, Harry awoke to his scar burning above his forehead. He staggered from his bed, into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his head.  
  
Turning to one of the bags that lay on his floor he pulled out some aspirin and gulped four down. Gagging slightly at the taste he set about rimming his eyes with black.  
  
When he had finished he put on a pair jeans with frayed edges and a woollen v-necked jumper. Over it he put on his black jacket.  
  
Then he opened his case and dumped every single thing that he owned into it every which way and jumped on it until it would close, then he left it by the door and went down to breakfast.  
  
*****************  
  
Harry sat on the rumbling train. His head was pounding and Pig screeching in the corner wasn't helping. Harry was glad he had sent Hedwig with Lucifer on ahead.  
  
The morning at the station had been remarkably good. No one had recognised him, so he had been able to board the train without any hassle. He had been informed that Draco was getting to the castle by other means of transport.  
  
The boys from his year had joined him, Ron and Hermione in their compartment and the door had been locked and Hermione had cast a spell on it so any student that would come near it would walk straight past without considering entering, even if it had been their express purpose of seeing Harry.  
  
Harry suddenly groaned as the pounding in his head doubled. He fell to his knees and grabbed the seat in front of him as his friends crowded around him. Ron placed his hand on Harry's shoulders and Hermione removed the spell from the door in case it got so severe that they had to find an adult.  
  
Dean crouched in front of Harry 'what's wrong, Harry? Can you tell us?'  
  
Harry had black rivlets coursing down his face as his eyes watered and he gasped and retched in agony. 'Scar.hurting.warning.'  
  
Suddenly he spasmed and went rigid, he flailed around and fell to the ground, knocking Ron into the corner. Blaise Zambini appeared in the doorway, having come to see if the rumours about Harry's new appearance were true.  
  
Harry began to foam at the mouth and moaning and wailing incoherently.  
  
~*~*~ The train began to sway from side to side. The occupants of the carriage grabbed onto the sides of their compartment and looked at each other nervously. The train gave a sickening lurch and the side door flew open. The exploding snap cards that Ron and Dean had been playing with fell to the ground and exploded, Ginny shrieked as she jumped and began to lose her grip on the seat. The train was now screaming around the bend on a bridge, going so fast Harry didn't know how it could be on such an angle yet stay upright.  
  
'Ginny!' Ron's panicked scream filled the carriage as Ginny's sweat slicked hands began sliding around on the leather of the seat she was clutching at.  
  
Hermione could only look on in horror as her wand flew out of the door quickly followed by most of the groups' belongings. She and Harry and Ron's dorm-mates had managed to manoeuvre themselves to the opposite end of the compartment where they could maintain a reasonable level of safety as long as the wall of the carriage could maintain their weight.  
  
Harry, Blaise and Ron were holding onto the poles situated below the bag racks, usually used to help occupants of the carriage maintain their balance if they were standing. Ron was staring in frozen horror at Ginny as Harry tried to use the pole as muggle monkey bars in an attempt to rescue her. Blaise let go one hand to slap Ron across the face.  
  
'Weasley! Snap out of it. Help Potter damn it.'  
  
Ron shook his head as he tried to comprehend the situation. Ginny's terrified wailings were echoing around the valley below them coupled with other students terrified screams. The screaming brought him back to the present and he imitated Harry's movements to shift across the carriage.  
  
By the time Harry reached Ginny his arms were shaking with terror and the effort of holding his bodyweight. He felt Ron's hand grab his for support and he felt slightly better as he reached down to Ginny.  
  
'Ginny! I need you to grab my hand. Can you do that for me? Just one hand and we'll get you to safety. Come on sweetie, it will be ok. Just give me your hand.'  
  
Ginny hesitantly raised one hand to Harry's, clutching at the slippery seat cover even more desperately. Just as she brushed his fingers the train lurched and shuddered to a sudden halt. Hermione hid her face in Seamus's shirt as Ginny lost her grip on the seat. The terror on her face was only superseded by the horror and despair of her scream as she plummeted down the ravine until her wailing was suddenly cut off.  
  
'GINNY!'  
  
Ron stared down the ravine after her body, his face as white as death. His grip loosened on the pole and Harry grabbed him, yet not seeing him. All he could see was Ginny's terrified face and all he could feel was the brush of her fingers against his.  
  
Somehow they made it to the safety of the other side of the carriage. A trunk had been discovered hidden in the bag rack containing Neville's wand and he used it to shut the door to the carriage. However nothing could block out the screaming of their class mates following Ginny over edge of the bridge. The little group sat huddled in a corner seeking support from their companions.  
  
Hours went by and at last they heard the voices of adults. Relief began to course through the veins of the group until they heard.  
  
'Crucio!'  
  
The screaming that followed was horrendous as they felt their carriage pulled upright by some invisible force. Seamus made his way to the window, trying to smash it so they could plummet to a quick death instead of the one that awaited them. The window, however, had had an unbreakable charm placed on it and his attempts were futile. The door flew open with a crash and Hermione began to wail and moan as a tall, thin white skinned, red-eyed creature entered.  
  
'Tut tut, Miss Granger. Where is your Gryffindor pride?'  
  
Harry stood up, holding Neville's wand in front of him. He was filled with wretchedness. He knew that he couldn't do any spells well with another persons wand but despair irrationally won.  
  
As he stood up straight he felt the familiar cold wash over him as two black robed and scabbed creatures made their way towards him. He heard the weak cries of his friends and grimly held onto the wand in his hand. He heard his fathers voice as he fought to stay upright.  
  
Trying to summon a happy memory he yelled 'Expecto Patronum'. Nothing happened. Harry knew it was inevitable. How could anyone remember anything remotely happy at a time like this? He didn't even think he had any memories left inside him except for the previous few hours.  
  
From far away he heard voices 'Harry! Leave him alone you fucking coward!'  
  
But they were soon drowned out by his mothers pleas. As he felt himself being lifted and opened his eyes to see, for the second and last time in his life, the eye-less face of a Dementor all he could hear was Voldemort's laugh. It echoed inside his brain and around the carriage as he felt the cold lips of the Dementor fasten onto him and he felt his soul slipping away into the darkness, the blackness filled only by that laugh, jeering and cackling and.~*~*~  
  
Harry blinked. He opened his eyes to the all to familiar whiteness of the Infirmary.  
  
'What the.?'  
  
'Harry, glad you could join us in the land of the living.'  
  
Harry looked up into the strained eyes of Albus Dumbledore.  
  
'Land of the living? But they attacked us. Where did the Dementor go? I'm supposed to be a soulless shell. Is Ron alright? How is he coping about Ginny? I tried to save her, really I did professor. I nearly had her. I felt her fingers but the train stopped and she fell.she just fell. Down, down, down. Screams, endless screams. I saw her face, she was so terrified. Nothing I could do, but I should have. I did try, please believe me.' Harry began babbling as his memories formed in his mind. He began gasping for air, but he couldn't breathe.  
  
'Harry, Harry calm down. Breathe, you have to breathe. Listen to me, there is nothing wrong with Miss Weasley. She is fine. No Dementors. No attack. You were on the Hogwarts Express and you had a fit. They stopped the train to get you here quickly. There was no attack. You have been unconscious for two days.'  
  
'But it was so real. I could smell Voldemort. He has this snaky smell and he was there. I felt my soul leaving me.'  
  
'Harry, it sounds like you may have had a vision or a premonition. I'm not quite sure how or why, but your symptoms indicated that you were having a premonition.'  
  
'But, sir, premonitions indicate something to come, but you said nothing happened.' Harry looked up at Dumbledore, half relieved and half suspicious.  
  
'Premonitions are fickle things, Harry, and whatever is seen by the one experiencing the premonition is usually only one path that the future events might take. I believe that there may have been a planned attack on the Hogwarts Express, but I also believe that it was your premonition of these same events that caused the train to be stopped and thus instigated another path that the events might take.'  
  
Harry stared at him for a moment. 'Are you trying to tell me that it was my having this premonition which prevented the premonition from coming true?'  
  
Dumbledore nodded grimly. 'Yes, Harry. It appears that we were amazingly lucky this time. I do not expect that we will have the same luck ever again. Now get some rest, Harry. You need a long dreamless sleep. Drink this.'  
  
Harry gulped down the vile tasting potion quickly, determined that he would finish the lot before falling into a blissful sleep.  
*********  
  
Harry awoke with a start from his sleep. Something was different as he looked around the infirmary. Something wasn't quite right. Harry automatically reached for his glasses and then it hit him. Whoever had put him in the bed hadn't removed his contacts and for the first time that he could recall he had awoken without the whole world being fuzzy.  
  
He looked around the room that he had come to know almost intimately in his years at school. The cracks in the ceiling were just the same the one in the corner that looked like Sirius in his snuffles form, curled up and scratching. The squiggle that if looked at closely resembled Dumbledore's half-moon glasses. It was the one above the door that had made Harry laugh. It consisted of two circular cracks and one thin line which reminded Harry of the Dursley's as they had been before Petunia's suicide.  
  
Harry was rescued from his thoughts by the door opening. No one was on the other side. Harry rubbed his eyes and looked again. Nope, still no-one there. Harry shrugged as the door closed itself assuming Peeves was up to his old tricks. Suddenly Ron, Hermione and Draco appeared out of thin air. Hermione quickly put her hand over Harry's mouth to prevent him from yelling.  
  
'Shhhhhhhh.'  
  
'Fucking hell, Hermione! You guys scared the crap out of me.'  
  
Ron lifted his mouth in a half-grin as he looked at his friend. 'So, you feeling alright?'  
  
Harry nodded. 'What time is it?'  
  
'It's three in the morning and we are wasting our much needed sleep coming to visit you, because Dumbledore wouldn't let us earlier.'  
  
Harry looked at him. 'I am eternally grateful to you Mr Weasley. I do realise how hard it must be for you to lose your beauty sleep. Especially when it is needed as much as yours is.'  
  
'Oy, that was harsh.'  
  
Hermione brushed him out of the way. 'Be quiet, Ron. Harry, what happened?'  
  
Harry closed his eyes briefly. 'I had a vision, a premonition, Dumbledore called it.'  
  
Ron moved closer to the bed. 'Of what?' 'The Hogwarts Express crashing. I don't really want to go into details, but basically Ginny fell off that huge bridge that we got chased by the train on in our second year, then the Death Eaters came and I was given the Dementors kiss.'  
  
Ron looked slightly sick. 'But, it was only a vision, mate. It didn't happen.'  
  
'Yeah, but if I hadn't had the vision and caused you guys to stop the train, it would have happened.'  
  
Ron sat down suddenly. 'So, if you hadn't had that vision, then we would all be dead by now.'  
  
'Yep.'  
  
'Bloody hell!'  
  
There was a long silence while everyone weighed up the implications of what Harry had said. It was Ron who broke the silence.  
  
'Well, thanks mate.'  
  
'Don't mention it. Any time.'  
  
Harry looked around to see Draco heading towards the door.  
  
'Where are you off to? Haven't even said hello.' Harry's tone grew increasingly accusing although he tried to fight it.  
  
'Why weren't you on the train?'  
  
Draco turned. 'Lucius decided it would be best for him to apparate me to Hogsmeade and then I walk from there to the school.'  
  
'Why?'  
  
'Well, it's obvious, isn't it Potter? He knew what was going to happen and he didn't want me being killed.'  
  
Harry hated himself for doing it, but he had to know. 'Did you know what was happening?'  
  
Draco stood silently by the door as three pairs of eyes fastened on his face.  
  
'Answer me, Draco! Did you know what was happening?'  
  
'I wasn't officially told, but I suspected.' Harry lay back in his bed. 'And you didn't consider telling anyone?'  
  
'Of course I did! What do you take me for, but I couldn't. If the plan fell through and it was my fault, Lucius would kill me.'  
  
'That's fair enough, Harry.' Ron attempted to intervene.  
  
'No, it's not. You are hearing what he is telling you to hear, a trick that I am sure his lovely father taught him. What he actually what he should be saying, is that he would prefer the whole school died than him. He is willing to let innocent children be tortured, raped and murdered, rather than risk his own worthless life to save them. Does that sound familiar, guys? Does that sound like what Wormtail did to my parents? Except that this is much worse, because instead of a family of three being slaughtered because of one man's cowardice, this is an entire school of children.'  
  
Hermione and Ron's faces twisted with the realisation and horror of what Harry was saying. All three stared at Draco, whose head was bowed in shame and misery.  
  
'I.I, what I mean is.I didn't know.the extent of.the.. what my fa-Lucius was planning. If I had. then.I. things might have been diff - '  
  
'They would not have been different. You haven't been the son of a Death Eater for sixteen years without knowing what is going on or being able to imagine what "extent" that your father goes to for his master.'  
  
'I.I.I.'  
  
'Yes?' Harry sneered.  
  
'I didn't think. I'm sorry.' Draco cast a pleading glance at Harry who stared stonily back. Ron and Hermione wouldn't look at him and, with his head bent Draco swallowed the lump that was climbing up his throat and crept out of the room.  
  
Hermione looked at Harry, tears swimming in her eyes. 'Did you have to be so harsh?'  
  
'Hermione, you didn't have to have that vision. You didn't awaken to find that the entire fate of the school rested on you having that vision. You didn't have to be the one who couldn't quite save Ginny from falling. You aren't the one whose fingers brushed hers before you watched her terrified face as she plunged to the bottom of the cliff. You didn't have to experience the Dementors about to kiss you and hear your mother screaming as it tried to drain your soul. And above all you didn't awaken to find that your friend knew what was about to happen but refused to do anything to save his own skin in the same cowardly way that got your parents killed. So don't you dare try and tell me that I was being to harsh.'  
  
Ron looked between the two of them, trying to find a way to break the frosty silence.  
  
'So, Harry how does it feel to have missed the first two days of school? Lucky bugger, not that we did anything, mind you. Our wonderful friend Seamus decided to use your missing out on class to prevent us doing any real work. All we did is revision, and because the school week began on Wednesday you have the weekend to bludge.' 


	7. Authors Note and Explantaion

Hi guys, I realise that it has been a while since I updated. I have a number of excuses the main ones are that this year of school is the hardest one I've had so far and I haven't had time to do much of anything but school work. The second is that I had written up to chapter seven, but I had boxed myself into a corner and I couldn't find a way out. I had a real train crash, but it was taking forever to explain everything and it wasn't making sense and was really boring. So I went back to chapter four and started writing it again.  
  
I have written out a plan of this fic, so I have some idea where I'm going (Silent Shells was really disorganised) and it should be much better. I haven't finished chapter five yet, but it has grown from a complete 3 page chapter to a nearly complete 15 page chapter. WOW, I didn't know I could write so much in a chapter.  
  
What else did I have to say? Hmmmm, well I hope you like long chapters because the plan I have drawn up has extended my chapters by heaps.  
  
You may have noticed that the summary has been changed. That's because I had a problem justifying an event planned for the third installment so I had to change my whole fic plan.  
  
Choke to Breathe contains a couple more prophecies and I'm not sure whether to include them in the prologue or not. I would really appreciate some feedback on the subject.  
  
Also, I'm feeling really sad at the lack of reviews Choke to Breathe is getting. ( I really appreciate the ones I have got.  
  
Thank you so so so much:  
  
blackened soul & little gin blossom  
  
If anyone knows why no-one is reviewing could you let me know? I wasnt sure how to let ppl know that this one is up and that could be the problem. or my boring summary (embarrassed face). Yes, I am a whiny person if I don't get my own way (or in this case my own reviews).  
  
I hope you like the next couple of chapters.  
  
Ciao 


	8. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
The weekend passed by fairly quickly. Harry was allowed out of the infirmary at lunchtime on Saturday and spent the weekend sorting out his belongings and playing Exploding Snap and Chess with Ron and Hermione.  
  
He avoided Draco the whole weekend who went to extraordinary lengths to talk to him, including following him around the corridors until Harry was forced to return to the Gryffindor Common Room and banging on the Portrait of the Fat Lady until Professor McGonagall told him in no uncertain terms that if he ventured anywhere near the Gryffindor Common Room for any reason other than a personal invitation or there was no other possible way to get to his classroom she would remove fifty points from Slytherin.  
  
Monday morning found Harry seated at the Gryffindor Table at breakfast looking over his timetable.  
  
'I swear someone up there is out to get me! Double Potions first. What the hell is going on?'  
  
Hermione looked at him. 'You can't put it off forever. You are going to have to talk to him. Especially since you returned the present.'  
  
Ron looked up from his porridge which he had completely smothered in cream and sugar, 'What present?'  
  
'Snape sent me a birthday present and I returned it.' Harry grimaced as he thought of what Ron could be doing to his teeth.  
  
Hermione spoke up. 'Yeah, and he apologised.'  
  
'Snape apologised?' Ron's voice rose several octaves.  
  
'Shut up, do you want the whole world to know? He sent me a card with the word sorry on it. I hardly call that an apology.'  
  
Hermione started packing the book she had been reading in her bag. 'At least he was trying, which is more than can be said for you.' Harry's face twisted in indignation and opened his mouth to protest so Hermione continued hurriedly, 'if we don't leave now we will be late.'  
  
Harry and Ron groaned simultaneously, but gathered their belongings and headed down to the dungeons.  
  
They half jogged into the classroom and just made it to their seats before Snape strode into the room, his robes billowing out behind him in their usual intimidating manner. His face was not far from absolutely furious and Harry mentally groaned. Ron banged his head on the desk as Snape slammed the cauldron he was carrying down with a heavy thud.  
  
'Stand up! I will not have my class showing any disrespect. You are seniors now, and any minor issues of impoliteness are no longer going to be overlooked.'  
  
Ron turned to Harry. 'I must have been asleep when he overlooked those.'  
  
'Silence Mr Weasley. 10 points from Gryffindor. In this class you will be brewing many dangerous potions and complete and utter care is needed every second in this room.. More than half of you don't deserve to take this class and if anyone deliberately impairs our work here he will be sorry. ' Snape's eyes passed over the trio and his eyes flickered as they looked at Harry. Harry stared defiantly back and raised an eyebrow, daring him to say something.  
  
Snape held the stare for a moment but glanced down at his desk before moving on. He looked back again at the trio and then around the class. 'Where's Malfoy?'  
  
A voice sounded from the very back corner of the room.  
  
'Here, sir.'  
  
The corner was an odd one. In the building of Hogwarts, some land had slid during the construction of the dungeons and the spells which had been holding the stones of the walls together had somehow melded together as other spells were cast at them to hold the castle up while repairs had been made. The whole lot had fizzled together and caused that particular corner to permanently repel light. A desk had been placed there as a spare in case an accident with a potion had left the room one desk short, but there were to many desks in the room as it was, thus it had sat their for years gathering dust and broken vials that students were to scared to inform their potions master about.  
  
Snape raised his eyebrows. 'In future, Mr Malfoy, I suggest that you sit slightly closer to the front of the room, lest you miss any crucial information from sitting so far back.  
  
He looked quizzically at the barely visible outline in the corner but continued without any further comments.  
  
'Today we will be making a simple sleeping potion. I realise it is work so simple that even Mr Longbottom should be able to get it half right, but the properties are very similar to those in an animagus test potion which is what you will be beginning at the end of the week. We will be working in pairs and - Stop! Do not even consider forming your own groups.'  
  
The class, especially the Gryffindor's began mumbling under their breath. Snape always seemed to take great delight in placing Slytherin's and Gryffindor's together and then blaming every argument that broke out on the Gryffindor's. However, today Snape had another motive. He wanted to know what the problem was between Malfoy and the Eternal Trio.  
  
'Granger you shall partner with Longbottom,' That was another good reason, leave Longbottom with anyone but Granger and the entire school lives in mortal peril. 'Weasley with Finnigan,' and Snape continued through the list. 'Potter, you go with Malfoy; and C.'  
  
'No sir.' Harry cringed. *So much for keeping your head down Potter.*  
  
'What did you say?' Snape fixed Harry with his most frightening glare and Harry could hear Neville's whimper from across the classroom.  
  
'I said: No sir.'  
  
'Would you care to elaborate?' Snape looked at Malfoy who had risen from his seat and was, to Snape's considerable shock, was staring at the ground and trembling.  
  
'I will not work with Malfoy. You can take as many points, and give me as many detentions, but I absolutely, categorically refuse to work with Malfoy.'  
  
Snape looked back at Harry who was also trembling, but with suppressed rage. 'Potter you will do what you are.'  
  
He was cut off by the empty beaker on his desk exploding, thankfully missing the students. Potter's face was more furious than Snape had ever seen it, he had gone bright red and appeared to suffering from some internal struggle. Ron laid a hand on his shoulder.  
  
'Calm down, mate. It's not worth it.'  
  
Harry turned abruptly toward Ron, appearing to be about to hit him but then he visibly began calming down.  
  
'Very well, Potter. Seeing as how I don't want my entire classroom exploding, I will relent. But you will see me after class. Pair up with Zambini. Now, I will brook no further argument.'  
  
Harry sneered at him, gathered up his books and ingredients and walked to the front of the classroom, whispers following him as he went.  
  
He banged his things down on the desk, still shaking. Kicking the chair viciously, he slumped into it and with the knife he was supposed to be chopping ingredients with, he began gouging chunks out of the table.  
  
He could feel Ron and Hermione's concerned gazes boring into the back of his head and fought the urge to scream. Taking the knife in his fist he began stabbing a caterpillar he was supposed to be chopping.  
  
*Fucking Malfoy!* Stab *How could I ever believe he had changed?* Stab, Stab *You're a blind dickhead Potter.* Stab, slash. *He's a Slytherin and a Malfoy, dying must have addled your brains* The caterpillar was now a mangled mash.  
  
A soft voice startled him out of his angry thoughts.  
  
'Are you ok?'  
  
Harry looked up briefly 'I'm fine!'  
  
Aware that he was now being observed Harry began chopping the rest of his caterpillars properly, although the new dents in his knife were making it difficult.  
  
'Are you sure, after what happened on the train, I was worried.'  
  
'Does everyone know my problems?' Harry snarled.  
  
Blaise's face looked startled and a bit hurt. 'No, um, I was in the carriage when you had the fit, the school thinks you just taken ill with a stomach bug or something.'  
  
Harry felt slightly abashed. 'Oh, sorry. I'm just a little uptight.'  
  
'That's alright. I know what it's like to be moody, most girls do.'  
  
Harry smiled a little and began chopping some root that he didn't recognise.  
  
'So, what happened on the train?'  
  
Harry flinched. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. Are you sick? I'm sorry, I won't talk about it if you don't want me to.'  
  
Harry shook his head. 'No, I had a vision of the train crashing and Death Eaters attacking the wreckage. The usual torture and gruesome deaths. I couldn't save Ginny Weasley and she fell down this ravine and I had my soul sucked out of me by a Dementor and. why am I telling you this?  
  
Blaise shrugged, 'Because I have a pretty face and I'm a wonderful listener and you can't resist my charm, to name just a few reasons.'  
  
Harry burst out laughing. 'You keep telling yourself that.'  
  
'Awwww, you mean you don't find me irresistible?' Blaise pouted and her eyes filled with fake tears.  
  
Harry shifted uncomfortably. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.'  
  
'Relax, Dumb-ass, I'm kidding.'  
  
A grin spread across Harry's face and he added the caterpillars to the bubbling mixture.  
  
'I only meant that I didn't know why I was telling this stuff to a potential Death Eater, er I mean not like that of course, it's just...'  
  
'Paranoid, aren't you? My family are strictly fence sitters. We are on no- one's side except our own.'  
  
'Typical Slytherin.'  
  
'Why, thank you, now be quiet and write down these properties. I'm not doing everything.'  
  
As Blaise bent her head to write on her parchment, Harry studied her. He hadn't really noticed her before, she was just one of those faces in the crowd. Now as she dipped her quill in the bottle of black ink, he took in her features. She had clear, pale skin with a light dusting of freckles over the bridge of her nose which were hardly noticeable the viewer wasn't up close.  
  
Her hair was a deep brown, rich like expensive dark chocolate and tumbled down her back in large, soft curls to her waist. The smaller pieces at the front fell forward, concealing her face as she bent her head to write. A slender, white hand pushed away from her face as she glanced up toward the mixture in the cauldron.  
  
Harry took the opportunity to consider her eyes. They were an odd colour that wasn't quite grey and wasn't quite blue. They were flecked with black, which Harry found intriguing. They were framed with thick, curling eyelashes and a pair of perfectly shaped eyebrows which were furrowed with concentration.  
  
Blaise suddenly glanced up at him and Harry quickly looked back at his parchment, a slow blush creeping up his face. He fumbled with his quill and dropped it under the table. Cursing at the idiocy of his actions he bent to pick it up, at the same time Lucifer decided to pop his head out of Harry's school bag to see what was happening. Harry yelled in fright, jumped back and hit his head on the table sending it flying into the cauldron and knocking the potion to the ground.  
  
Harry began to grab his and Blaise's things out of the way of the river of potion that was flowing towards him. Suddenly he saw the boiling fluid heading straight for Lucifer and uttering a curse snatched him up off the ground.  
  
He began scolding the snake as he up righted the table.  
  
^^Lucifer! What the hell were you doing in there? Warn me next time damn it. I could have injured some one.^^  
  
^^I am truly sorry Master. But I hadn't had a chance to speak with you, since we arrived at this place. I wasn't aware that you were busy. Why are people screaming?^^  
  
^^Shit. I forgot they didn't like me talking to Snakes. Shush for a bit whilst I try and fix this.^^  
  
Harry stared around the room at the students who were staring at him in horror and fascination.  
  
'Potter!'  
  
Harry cringed at Snape's voice and glanced at Blaise, hoping that she wasn't too terrified of him now.  
  
#Why do you care?# A little voice at the back of his head queried him.  
  
Harry pushed the voice away. Blaise was still sitting in her seat. Her legs were now crossed to avoid the boiling potion running under her chair. She was holding the parchment that she had been writing on and the quill. She looked at the potion on the ground, scribbled something on the parchment and looked back up at Harry and arched an eyebrow, a small smirk hovering somewhere around the corners of her lips.  
  
'Typical Gryffindor' she mouthed at him.  
  
Harry was frantically thinking up a retort when.  
  
'Are you paying any attention to me at all Potter?'  
  
'Um, no sir, I mean yes sir.'  
  
The whole class snickered and Snape started looming toward Harry, his expression indiscernible, his high-collared robes making him look like Dracula. Thankfully the bell rang.  
  
'Class Dismissed!'  
  
Harry began to pack his things up.  
  
'Not you, Mr Potter. I think you have some explaining to do. Oh yes, and some cleaning.'  
  
Harry flopped back down in his seat with a groan as Snape also smirked, a surprising likeness to Blaises. Harry wondered if smirking was the 'in' thing for Slytherins at the moment. Ron and Hermione stopped as they went passed.  
  
'We'll try and save you some lunch.'  
  
Harry nodded glumly and jumped as a whispering voice came from behind him. He turned around to see Blaise holding Lucifer.  
  
'I think you dropped something.' Her voice Harry could have likened the wind had it not been for the light jeering tone it held. It was soft but had an element of strength.  
  
Harry blushed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.  
  
'Um, thanks.'  
  
'See you around.' Blaise didn't give him a second glance as she left the room and Harry rested his head in his hands.  
  
'Fuck.'  
  
'Potter.'  
  
Harry jumped. Snape had returned from carrying a stack of books into his office which was located at the rear of the room.  
  
'Yes sir I know, clean the floor with no magic. Am I using the toothbrush this time?'  
  
Snape looked at him for a moment and waved his wand. The mess automatically disappeared and a chair appeared behind Snape.  
  
'We need to talk, Harry.'  
  
Harry looked at him in horror. 'I'd rather clean the whole castle with a toothbrush.'  
  
'I am sure you would, and while it would delight me to arrange it for you and I may even do so since you requested it so nicely, the fact remains that we are going to talk.'  
  
Harry sighed.  
  
'I understand that I am not your favourite person at the moment.'  
  
'Damn right you aren't.'  
  
'But we do have to talk.'  
  
'No Snape, we don't.'  
  
'Yes we do, whether you and I like it or not, I am still your uncle.'  
  
'No you aren't. I have tried the whole uncle/nephew relationship before and I'm not suited to it. In my experience uncles starve you, beat you, neglect you and lie to you. And oh yes, they cause their wife's deaths.'  
  
Snape jerked back, as if Harry had physically hit him. Harry ignored the stricken, haunted look on his face and continued.  
  
'For most of my life you either haven't existed or you have been my evil, greasy potions master. And that is the way it's going to stay. You will be my potions master until I leave, and then after that you will be nothing. Sound good to you? Sounds wonderful to me.'  
  
A flicker of hurt crossed Snape's miserable face before he smoothed it out. 'Very well, Potter. But I am always here if you need to talk.'  
  
Harry made a remarkable imitation of Snape's sneer and rose to leave.  
  
'Wait, Potter. You have made it quite clear why you don't like me, but why this sudden aversion to Draco?'  
  
'You don't want to know, sir. But let me say this. Right now, if I had to chose between whether I wanted Malfoy as a friend or you as an uncle. lets just say I would be happier to have you as a father than I would be to have Malfoy as a friend.'  
  
Snape was noticeably startled by this comment, but before he was able to reply Harry was gone.  
  
*****  
  
Harry distractedly rubbed his head as he walked toward the Great Hall. What a wonderful start to the year and now on top of all his other troubles he was getting a headache. Increasing his pace he wondered what Snape was thinking after he had left. Had Harry been too harsh? No, he hadn't. People just didn't understand the situation from his perspective.  
  
As Harry headed into the almost empty Great Hall he spotted Ron sitting down the far end. He grinned as he saw Harry.  
  
'Did Snape give you hell?'  
  
'Nah, he just wanted to talk.' Harry sat down in front of he plate of food Ron had saved him and stabbed a carrot, a remarkable imitation of his desecration of the caterpillars earlier.  
  
'Lucky, I thought he'd have you scrubbing the dungeons 'till Christmas.'  
  
'What?'  
  
Ron glanced at him as he helped himself to the remainder of the huge jug of pumpkin juice. 'Scrubbing the dungeons. Oh sorry, did you want some of this? You know, you knocked the table into the cauldron and spilt the potion. What was that about anyway?'  
  
Harry closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind as he took a sip from the juice Ron had poured into his goblet. 'Oh, I dropped my quill and Lucifer was in my bag and popped his head out and scared me.'  
  
Shaking his head Ron chuckled. 'Well whose the duffer who let him sleep in your bag? No, never mind, what were you and Zambini talking about? It's odd to see you laughing with a Slytherin who isn't Dra'. um I mean any Slytherin at all, although she is pretty hot.'  
  
'Ron, can we discuss this later? I've got a headache.'  
  
'Ohhhhh, it's like that is it?'  
  
Harry blushed, 'No, well, not really. She's nice and it's better than working in silence. Besides, we need to stop stereotyping Slytherins. If we get to know some of them we could get them on our side.'  
  
Harry put his fork down and took another sip of pumpkin juice. He began rubbing his head before resting it in his hands with his elbows leaning on the table. Ron nudged him in the ribs, a silly grin on his face. 'So, what's this sudden interest in getting to know Slytherins? Really got to you did she? Did you find out any "information"?'  
  
Harry would have been fighting himself to not hit Ron, but his head started throbbing even more. 'Yes,' he replied through clenched teeth, 'I found out the Zambini's aren't on Voldemort's side and that they are strictly neutral in the war, which will give us a chance to get her on our side.'  
  
Ron recovered from his quiver at the forbidden name and looked at Harry in concern. 'Are you alright, mate? You don't look too good.'  
  
'Gee, thanks for noticing. Don't worry that I already told you or anything.'  
  
Ron sat up straighter. Harry was never sarcastic unless something was really wrong.  
  
'Harry, mate? Can you stand up? I'll get you to the infirmary.'  
  
Harry looked at him, forcing a smile. 'No, it's just a headache. It should pass soon.'  
  
Ron looked about to say more, but Hermione came skidding up to the table.  
  
'What are you to doing? Professor Flitwick has been waiting ten minutes or more for you.'  
  
Harry winced as Ron helped him to his feet. 'Sorry, Mione, Harry's just got back from Snape and he's got a headache.'  
  
Hermione immediately switched into concerned mode. 'Harry, are you ok? Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?'  
  
'Hermione, you're not my mum, you're my sister. Stop clucking, that's Mrs Weasleys job.'  
  
Hermione was about to say something else but Harry suddenly buckled as all the pain from what was beginning to feel like a migraine surged into his scar and he fell to the ground.  
  
'Harry?'  
  
'Shit, shit, shit, shit, bugger.' Harry groaned into the rug on the stone floor.  
  
'What is it, Harry?'  
  
Sweat broke out on Harry's brow as he forced himself to stay conscious. 'Scar.' He croaked. 'Fuck, fuck it hurts.'  
  
'Ron, go get Pomfrey and Dumbledore. Run!'  
  
As Ron took off across the huge chamber, toward the door Hermione crouched down next to Harry. His eyes were rolling up into his head and he was convulsing on the floor.  
  
'Shit, it's a vision.' Hermione muttered to herself as Harry began to wail and gabble incoherently. She transfigured a goblet into a bucket of water and a serviette into a cloth and dabbed his forehead which now had sweat running in rivulets down to his neck.  
  
'Hang on, Harry,' she whispered in is ear. 'Help's coming.'  
  
Harry's back was now arching and tears pouring down both faces of the children.  
  
'Herm- Granger? What are you doing? Flitwick's getting the shits, really bad.'  
  
Hermione barely glanced up. 'Fuck off, Malfoy.' She snarled across the room.  
  
'What the hell? Hermione, you never swear.' Malfoy ventured further across the room. Shit, what's wrong with him?'  
  
'He's having a vision, Malfoy. You know, like the one that you could have prevented on the train.'  
  
Harry suddenly sat up, his eyes open and unseeing, but a forceful look upon his face.  
  
'You will never win, Tom. Try all you like, but you can't. Dumbledore won't let you and I, I won't let you.'  
  
He fell back to the ground with a shudder and Hermione just caught his head before it hit the stone.  
  
'Get out, Malfoy.' She hissed between her teeth as she cradled her brothers head in her lap. 'If he wakes up, I don't want you here.'  
  
Malfoy looked from the scared and angry face of Hermione to the white, quivering one of Harry and nodded his head. He looked at Harry again, an imperceptible emotion flickering in his eyes and turned, walking unsteadily across the room, the doors opening for him as he lifted his wand.  
  
The doors had just closed behind him when they opened again and Hermione could hear Ron shouting. 'You'd better not have been in there, Malfoy, You stay the hell away from Harry.'  
  
'Mr Weasley, now is not the time.'  
  
'Sorry Professor.'  
  
Hermione sighed with relief to see Dumbledore, McGonagall, looking sternly at Ron, and Madam Pomfrey walking quickly over to her.  
  
'Miss Granger?'  
  
'Hello, Professor Dumbledore, I think the vision is over.'  
  
'Vision? Are you sure it was a vision?'  
  
'Yes, sir, pretty sure. It was the same as the train, but this time he spoke.'  
  
'What did he say?'  
  
'He sort of opened his eyes and sat up, but he couldn't see me or Malfoy,' Dumbledore looked at her quizzically at the use of Malfoys last name, 'and said something like "you won't win, Voldemort, Dumbledore and I wont let you".'  
  
Dumbledore and Hermione ignored the slight shudder from the other three at the name. Suddenly Harry opened his eyes with a groan.  
  
'Fuck me, but head hurts.'  
  
'Whilst I am pleased you feel that you are still able to perform certain energetic activities in spite of your recent ordeal, I would recommend that you wait a few days before partaking in any strenuous activity.'  
  
Harry looked up with a start, but closed his eyes with pain.  
  
'Sorry sir, I didn't see you there.'  
  
'Stop that sniggering, Mr Weasley.' Harry mentally groaned as a sharp Scottish voice drilled through his head.  
  
'Harry?' A soft Welsh accent sounded slightly panicked.  
  
'I'm fine, Re- er Professor Lupin.'  
  
A wet nose nudged Harry's neck. 'Sirius, go away.'  
  
The voices above Harry's head faded as he drifted into unconsciousness.  
  
When he came around, he was lying once again in the infirmary with teachers clustered around the bed.  
  
'Why, don't I just move in up here? It would save the frequent trips.'  
  
Dumbledore looked down at him. 'We were just considering a similar possibility.'  
  
'What?'  
  
'We'll discuss it later, Harry, but now I have informed the staff of your, ahem, shall we say problem. They will be most supportive if it happens again. But right now, these teachers all belong to the Order and we were wondering if you can tell us what you saw.'  
  
Harry ignored him. 'Where are Ron and Hermione?'  
  
'They went to their next class, but that is beside the point. What happened, Harry?'  
  
Harry closed his eyes. 'Colin and Dennis.'  
  
'I'm sorry, Mr Potter?' The smooth voice of Snape was like oil, soothing Harry's aching head. 'Mr Creevy Junior is sitting in my class right now, trembling lest I return and his potion is less than perfect standard.'  
  
Harry managed a weak smile at the unexpected dry humour. 'No sir, it's their parents.'  
  
'Harry?'  
  
'Do, I have to spell it out, sir?'  
  
'Harry, we have to know what happened.'  
  
'Well, that's super, Remus, but I don't particularly want to relive the experience right now.'  
  
Dumbledore looked at Harry carefully, 'Would it be easier if I were to put a spell on you, so that we could see into your memory, but you would be put to sleep?'  
  
'Revealous Previoso Memorous?'  
  
'Not quite, but similar. Just lie back and we'll do the rest.'  
  
'Wait, sir. I don't think that you should all see it. It's a little gruesome.'  
  
'Nonsense, Mr Potter. We have all seen many unhappy things before.'  
  
'Very well, Professor McGonagall, but I have warned you.'  
  
~*~*~ Harry was falling. Fast and far into a pit of blackness. As he fell he could hear a conversation echoing strangely. The voices were distorted by the vastness of the abyss.  
  
'Well dear, I finished the shopping. Would you believe that Marks and Spencer had 20% off everything sale? I bought you a new cappuccino maker.'  
  
A speck of light was appearing at the bottom of the pit.  
  
'Why did you do that, dear? We have a perfectly good one.'  
  
'Oh Arnold, I have been reminding you every morning for the past three weeks that you can't have a cappuccino because the machine is all blocked up. You spend so much time in that darkroom of yours I wonder that you remember the boys and me exist.'  
  
The light was growing larger and larger and Harry could just make out blurred shapes.  
  
'I'm sorry dear, I didn't realise, but Colin brought back some wonderful developer from that odd school of his which makes the pictures move. I don't think sending him there was such a crack-pot scheme after all, if he can acquire useful things like this'  
  
'Yes, I know. You tell me every time you go into that confounded darkroom and every time you come out again.'  
  
Harry landed with a crash by the fire place, but the couple sitting of the mismatched chairs by the window didn't appear to notice.  
  
'Oh, do I dear? You should have told me. By the way, where are the boys? They are being very quiet today.'  
  
'Honestly, darling, what am I going to do with you? The boys went back to school last week.'  
  
'Did they really? They might have said goodbye. I don't think that was very decent of them leaving without a single word.'  
  
'What is a woman to do? They were talking about it for a whole week before they went back. Colin kept talking about some boy who he needed to take pictures because of his scar or something. Arnold, you went with us to the station, remember? They disappeared through the brick wall barrier.'  
  
'Did they really? Did that happen? I though I had eaten something funny and that that was a strange dream.'  
  
'A dream? I really believe I am going to have to burn that darkroom of yours.'  
  
'Allow me.'  
  
The room felt like it had been turned to ice.  
  
'Who, who are you?' the woman quavered.  
  
'Why, Mrs Creevy, I have many names. Most of my names revolve around not speaking my name, ironic really.'  
  
'What do you want?'  
  
'I want many things in life, but right now I want to torture and kill you.'  
  
Arnold Creevy moved in front of his wife.  
  
'How dare you come in here threatening us! Show yourself at once.'  
  
'I don't usually take orders, but why not, just this once. Think of it as a last request.'  
  
Harry automatically moved in front of the couple as Voldemort entered the room. His red snake eyes glittered with excitement.  
  
'Ah, how good it feels to smell muggle fear again.'  
  
'I know who you are! You are the one who gave that boy his scar.' Mrs Creevy stood up and held a shaking finger in his face.  
  
'You coward, you attack eighteen month year old babies for the fun of it, my son told me. You are disgusting. You are filthy, you are.'  
  
'.wonderful, brilliant and soon to be all powerful, thank you my dear, but you have said enough I think. Crucio.'  
  
Harry could only look on in horror, his scar splitting his head as Mr Creevy bent over his screaming wife. Tears were streaming down his face as her body convulsed and twitched before her screaming stopped along with her heart.  
  
Mr Creevy stood, white faced, tearstained and furious as the Freak in front of him motioned with his hand and three black cloaked figures entered the room.  
  
'Pray what took you so long? You missed my matinee performance.'  
  
'Forgive us, master.'  
  
Voldemort waved his hand. 'We shall discuss it later. Take this one upstairs. I forgot muggles were so weak. She didn't even last a minute. Better luck with the one.'  
  
'Yes master.'  
  
'When I am done, if he lives, you have my permission to play with him.'  
  
A high pitched cackle filled the air as Mr Creevy began screaming. Harry fell to his knees in pain as blood began spraying up the walls. The shrieks grew louder and louder before stopping completely. Harry looked up and saw the man lying on the ground, breathing faintly but conscious.  
  
Voldemort was looking around the room. 'Wormtail!'  
  
'Yes, my gracious, all powerful, forgiving, masterful lord.'  
  
'Silence you grovelling worm. Is there anyone else here?'  
  
'N, no my lord, Lucius checked himself.'  
  
'Someone is here! I sense a presence, it's familiar, I know it.I can't quite.'  
  
'Master?'  
  
'Get out you snivelling Rat! Take the muggle with you. Do what you want with him. Go! Now!'  
  
'Y- yes master. I- immediately m- master.'  
  
Dragging the body with his gleaming, silver hand Wormtail stumbled backward from the room.  
  
'I know you're here, you can't hide, I will find you.'  
  
'I'm not hiding, I'm not here. But believe me, were I here, you wouldn't be, Voldemort.'  
  
'Potter!' snarled Voldemort. 'Where are you?'  
  
'Can't you see me? Your eyesight must be failing in your old age, Tom.'  
  
'Don't call me that, you pathetic child.'  
  
'Pathetic? Look who's talking Mr "I Am An All Knowing, All Powerful, Child and Defenceless Muggle Killer" you can't even fucking attack someone even slightly powerful. It's always the weak and defenceless. Doesn't say much for your so-called powers, does it old man?'  
  
'Well well, Mr Potter has grown balls. No brains, just balls. Sorry if you don't approve of my plan Mr Potter, but I really didn't think to consult you on it. Perhaps next time, when I come and flatten your school, kill your Mudblood and muggle loving friends and make your friend Mr Malfoy my heir, I will let you know, before I kill you as well. Oh, didn't you know? Your friend Draco is really working for me. Poor little Harry. It's time you learnt that not everyone who seems to be is you friend.'  
  
'You will never win, Tom. Try all you like, but you can't. Dumbledore won't let you and I, I won't let you.'  
  
'Don't count on it Mr Potter. I'm much stronger than you can ever hope to be.'~*~*~  
  
Harry turned over and snuggled further under the covers as he stirred. He heard a voice distantly.  
  
'Harry, Harry, can you hear me? Wake up.'  
  
'Ten more minutes.' Harry muttered into the pillow.  
  
He heard another voice say 'Allow me.'  
  
Why can't these people let me sleep? Harry reached for the pillow to put it over his head, but his hand was stilled in mid air as a low, smooth voice said close to Harry's ear.  
  
'Mr Potter, if you do not get up within the next five seconds I will personally see to it that you are dropped from the quidditch team and replaced with Mr Longbottom.'  
  
Harry leapt from the bed in fright and made to bolt for the door, before he was stopped by a cold hand.  
  
Harry screamed with fright.  
  
'Now that Mr Potter has chosen to grace us with his undivided attention.' Harry looked up to see that Snape had him by the collar. 'I believe we have some things to discuss.'  
  
Harry wrenched away from Snape in disgust and moved to stand by Lupin. As he gazed around the room he could see the white and aghast faces of his professors. Harry heard a whining by his feet and felt his hand being licked. A grin lit up his face and he sat on the ground and patted the huge, shaggy black dog.  
  
'I believe,' began Professor Flitwick cautiously, 'that as much as we want to, and even if we could, stop Mr Potter from having these visions that, well, as painful as it is, it would be a powerful weapon against He Who Must Not Be Named if we could see what he was doing and maybe see his plans before they are executed.'  
  
'Great,' Harry muttered to himself, 'now I am just a weapon, a tool in this war. Well that's just dandy, I'll keep having the terrifying visions and you can maybe get a peek behind the scenes.'  
  
Lupin bent down to Harry, under the pretence of patting Sirius. 'Is that how you really feel Harry? I can put a stop to this if you want. I like it less, well perhaps not less that you, but I do not like the idea all the same.'  
  
'Rem-er Professor-'  
  
'Remus is fine if we aren't in class.'  
  
'Well Remus, I do want to win the war, and I realise that this vision thing I have could be a valuable asset, it's just, I feel like some kind of tool already, always being there to stop everything. I feel that I was very subtly pressured into some of the things that I have done against Voldemort. This is one of those off chance things. The way I see it is that I will see hundreds of gruesome murder scenes and perhaps one of them might help the Order if we are lucky. I don't know, maybe I'm just being selfish.'  
  
'You most certainly are not being selfish, if you really don't want to do this then you just say the word and I will stop Dumbledore.'  
  
'No, it's alright. I will have to deal with bad shit in my life anyway and this could be good training.'  
  
'Are you sure?'  
  
'Remus, it's fine.'  
  
A sneering voice cut in. 'Is everything alright over there? We aren't interrupting your little tète a tète ?'  
  
Harry looked up at Snape. 'Fine, professor, just discussing the *relative* pros and cons of this exercise. It could be distressing having to deal with people I know having their *family's* killed right in front of me, but with the *family-like* support system in this school, I feel I will receive all the *love* and help and support which I was never given, even by my *real uncle* and aunt.'  
  
Remus put his hand over his mouth and turned his face to the wall, his shoulders shaking. Snuffles made an odd barking sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. McGonagall looked at Harry sternly, but with a twinkle in her eye as Snape shuffled his feet and stared hard at the floor, the faint redness in his cheeks being accentuated by the paleness of his skin. Dumbledore looked at Harry, no hint of any emotion on his face.  
  
'That will do, Mr Potter.'  
  
The other teachers looked at each other confused, a few catching at certain times throughout the discussion so it was frequently interrupted by chuckles. An hour later a strategy had been decided.  
  
'So let me sum up this meeting.' Dumbledore looked up from the bed he was lying on and around the small group teachers and Harry, who were now strewn across beds, chairs and the floor, before resuming his apparent contemplation of the ceiling.  
  
'Harry will be given a potion and have several concealing charms placed over him so that he can continue to have the visions but remain undetected. Severus, Filius, could you have those prepared by tomorrow?'  
  
The said Professors nodded and Harry was beginning to breathe less cautiously when a thought struck him. He sat up quickly, hitting his head on the edge of the bed which he was half lying under, ignoring Remus's suppressed chuckle he stared frantically at Dumbledore.  
  
'Sir, we are enforcing these precautions working around the principle that Tom and I are connected by my scar.'  
  
'Yes Harry, I assume it a safe assumption to make as it is your scar that warns you of these impending visions and of his distance from you.'  
  
'Then sir, if we are connected by this scar then how do we know that Tom isn't experiencing the same problems I am. He could be watching us right now and already planning counteractions.'  
  
'I hadn't thought of that, Filius, Severus, Remus, I need all of you to research certain spells which make certain people impervious to being tracked or anything similar that might help us, until then, Harry, I need you to stay away from any conversations that could have a negative affect if the contents were overheard by an unfriendly party.'  
  
Remus interrupted. 'So Harry, you are hereby to be excluded from any interesting conversations and the rest of your days will be spent watching other people die or living in fear of your own life being taken. How do you feel?'  
  
That statement was followed by a dead silence, almost broken by Harry who found his statement incredibly funny, and was fighting laughing. Snape looked shocked at the bluntness of the statement and quickly left the room.  
  
It was however broken by Professor McGonagall shrieking 'Mr Lupin, have you learnt no tact, no manners, nothing in the 38 years you have been on this earth. Pay no attention to him Mr Potter, he is exaggerating, he.'  
  
She trailed of as she, along with the other teachers realised the truth of his words.  
  
A sudden rushing sound broke up the meeting and the Sneakoscope which had somehow found its way onto a side table in the infirmary began whistling. The room grew very cold.  
  
Harry clapped his hand to his scar and put a finger to his lips as the other occupants of the room looked around confused. 'Tom, what are you doing here?'  
  
A high pitched, icy and thoroughly disgruntled voice replied. 'Honestly Potter, how in Salazar's name can you tell I'm here when it took me ages to realise you were there?'  
  
Harry chuckled, 'You need to work on the vibes you project when you enter a room. The room turns slightly chilly, like the occupants are standing inside of a ghost, it must have something to do with your dead-but-not approach to life. Also you make a kind of rushing sound when you enter a room by magic. Another problem is that, as much as I don't like it and it's your fault, I have this fucking scar on my head and it always alerts me in some way to your presence. For instance, I could tell you were in that graveyard before I even saw that bastard Wormtail and in dreams and visions, I can always tell when it's about you, because it hurts. When you killed that old muggle in your fathers mansion I was there and damn did it hurt. Oh, and don't bother trying to find a way to reverse the effect, it has already had many years research committed to it and nothing can be done unless one of us dies.  
  
A shimmering came from the corner and what appeared to be a projection of Voldemort appeared. He was laughing.  
  
'Ah, Potter, I almost regret being evil as it doesn't allow me the privilege of bickering with you more. It would be an enjoyable way to spend time and we could each teach each other something, but my poor brainless followers would not understand why I wasn't killing you. Now, let's see, where is everyone? Oh, there they are. Hello Albus, long time no see, I'm glad you made Headmaster, I don't think I ever got to tell you that, you were a lot smarter that bloody Dippet. Minnie, how are you? You have aged well considering.at least you don't have this snake thing happening to your features, it can be quite frustrating when one is trying to ask a girl out. I don't think I have met anyone else, oh yes, I remember Lupin and is that Black on the floor? I really am sorry about the whole Azkaban thing. I would have prevented it, but it was just to damn funny. You have no idea how many of my minions reminded me of that when I was angry to save them from a good Cruciatus.'  
  
With a growl Sirius transformed and leapt at the figure.  
  
'Sirius, look out you bloody idiot!' Harry yelled as Sirius went straight through the projection which was howling with laughter. A sweat was breaking out over Harry's brow and he was beginning to sway.  
  
'You stupid mutt. You have now saved my underlings even more pain if they ever find out about this.'  
  
'They won't, Tom.' Harry interjected.  
  
'How many times? Don't call me Tom. Now, why won't they?'  
  
'Because I have just placed a spell around myself which, while temporary, will prevent you remembering anything about this meeting. Now, why don't you go home? I have a charms lesson to catch up on.'  
  
'Very well, Harry, I'll leave you to your school work. Have fun, I'll talk to you soon.'  
  
'Bye Tom.'  
  
The figure raised his hand in farewell as he flickered once or twice and disappeared.  
  
As soon as he was gone Harry collapsed to his knees, his face white and he was panting.  
  
'Harry? Are you alright?'  
  
'I'm fine, it's just the pain from my scar and the fact that I just held a civilised conversation with Lord Voldemort.' Harry lay, face down on the ground and began laughing hysterically.  
  
*********  
  
After dinner that evening Harry made his way toward the charms room where the tiny Professor Flitwick was waiting for him.  
  
'Good show Mr Potter. You are right on time.' He squeaked as Harry entered the room.  
  
'Yes sir.'  
  
'So what were we doing, ah yes here it is.' Flitwick handed Harry an open textbook.  
  
'The class took notes on special defence charms which I believe you will be further discussing in Defence Against the Dark Arts, and we learnt the cognatio defendo charm. I would like it if you could have it learnt by Thursday morning.'  
  
Harry nodded. 'Yes sir.'  
  
'I have prepared your concealing charms but they are useless with out the potion so we will have to wait for Professor Snape to finish it.'  
  
'Professor, I was wondering.'  
  
'Yes, Potter?'  
  
'You were a duelling champion, weren't you?'  
  
'Yes.' Flitwick looked at Harry inquiringly.  
  
'I was wondering if you could start a duelling club again. The one we had in our second year wasn't very helpful.'  
  
Flitwick grimaced, making his deformed face look even more distorted. 'Yes, Professor Lockhart probably wasn't the best teacher to have been running that club. Mr Potter, I think that is an excellent idea. Duelling will be an excellent skill to have if He Must Not Be Named does return to full power. Yes, wonderful wonderful,.'  
  
Flitwick was nearly bouncing up and down in excitement.  
  
'Yes, I'll ask Professors Lupin and Snape to assist me and I will have to clear it with the headmaster. Go on Potter, off to bed now. I'll tell you in the morning if the idea has been approved.'  
  
Harry tried not to laugh at the excited professor and left the room. He walked down the corridor, dodging Peeves who was throwing dung bombs at some third year boys and waving to Nearly Headless Nick who was floating toward Peeves with the Bloody Baron.  
  
Harry laughed as Peeves shrieked in fright at the sight of the Slytherin ghost and immediately began apologising to the annoyed boys.  
  
As he neared the common room he marvelled at the strange silence. Usually as he stood outside he portrait he could hear muffled yelling from within. Harry put it down to the lack of Weasley Twins attending the school this year. He smiled as he imagined the relief that Filch and Mrs Norris were feeling at having a Fred and George free school. Maybe it was Hermione trying to study and over exercising her Prefect rights, so she could keep the common room quiet. (AN: Yes, Hermione is prefect, I just forgot to put it in before.)  
  
'Heigh-ho,' said Harry to the Fat Lady who was looking strangely subdued.  
  
'Of course, dear,' she said the portrait swung open.  
  
As Harry clambered in he looked around the room. People were sitting in silence around the room. Some doing things and others not. Harry made his way over to Hermione and Ron in confusion.  
  
'I got permission off Flitwick for the duelling club, and he gave me the work I missed today.' Harry cringed as several people around shot him death stares.  
  
'What's going on?' 'Colin and D-'  
  
'Ah shit, I forgot. Who told them?'  
  
Hermione looked at him strangely. 'Dumbledore, but how do you know? They only just found out themselves.'  
  
'That was what was in my vision. I saw them die.'  
  
Hermione and Ron gazed at him and Ron opened his mouth but shut it again as the two brothers came down stairs.  
  
Dennis was pale and drawn but Colin looked, for the first time in his life, calm and controlled. He walked up to Harry.  
  
'Dumbledore said it was you who saw them die. Were they happy beforehand? What were they talking about?'  
  
Harry looked at the pale curly haired boy gravely. 'They seemed happy. Your mother had just bought a new cappuccino maker from Marks and Spencers and your father was having trouble thinking about anything but his darkroom.'  
  
Colin laughed sadly. 'Yes, he could never think about anything except that room.'  
  
Harry smiled at him. 'You are quite similar you know Colin. Thinking about nothing but that camera.'  
  
Colin looked up at him, 'It's on your bed Harry. Try and remember me by it.'  
  
Harry looked down in shock. 'But, you're coming back aren't you?'  
  
Colin shook his head. 'We are going to live with our aunt in Canada. I think Dennis will go to a wizarding school there, but I don't really want to. I'll be happy living as a muggle, I never really fitted in here anyway.'  
  
'That's not true, Colin. Try the school, you may like it. Not all wizarding places are alike. You may even find a camera-crazy girl to spend time with.'  
  
Colin shrugged noncommittally. 'Maybe.' He held out his hand for Harry to shake. 'Bye Harry.'  
  
'See you, Colin.'  
  
And they were gone.  
  
Wow wow wow. 23 pages. Heeheehee. Hope you like them. This is the last chapter that has already been written so updates will be slower from now on.  
  
Next Chapter: Wizarding power assessments, will Draco become a death eater plus much more 


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